


John -50

by phantisma



Series: Ages [23]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-01-31
Updated: 2007-01-31
Packaged: 2017-11-14 00:08:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/509242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phantisma/pseuds/phantisma
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU - John's POV.  Sam and Dean get home, just as one or both of the demons decide it's time to step up their plans.  What follows, will devastate them all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	John -50

He was fifty, and feeling every minute of every year as he dragged himself out of bed to the sound of the baby crying. There was a flash of fear, a sense of the familiar…He had the gun in his hand before he was even out of bed, into the hallway as Kaitlyn appeared at the nursery door with Daniel.

She looked up at him, startled, but he just shook his head, his eyes scanning the hall. Something was out of place, he could feel it. He pointed Kaitlyn toward her bedroom with his chin and she went easily, cradling the baby to her. He’d stopped crying. John inched forward, closer to his grandson…closer to the feeling that something wasn’t right.

At the door to the master bedroom, he paused, sweeping his eyes around the room before settling on Kaitlyn. “Is he okay?”

She nodded. “Must have had a nightmare or something…he’s calmer now.”

“Stay here. I’m going to check the house out.”

John crept down the stairs, listening for any sound to indicate what was wrong. The alarm system was set. He moved into the living room. The sense of presence was stronger there…but…he skirted toward the window.

There was movement on the front porch. He moved the curtains aside to see better, and was slightly startled to find Jenny, Reuel in nearly full manifestation, hovering just over the porch stairs, staring almost serenely out over the yard.

John turned off the alarm and opened the door. “You know, the neighbors are gonna talk.”

He felt her smile, even though she didn’t turn around. “They don’t even see me.” Reuel said. “It’s here.”

John stiffened. “Which one?”

Jenny’s feet touched down onto the porch and the wings folded, fading as she turned to face him. “Not sure. It wants…” Her face softened. “Let’s go inside.”

John reached for her suitcase and held the door open. Once it was closed and John had reset the alarm, Reuel’s voice spoke out of Jenny’s mouth. “The war is soon upon us, John. We will not all walk away.”

“How soon?”

“I am uncertain. The sides are gathering and we stand between them…but they are not all we need to worry about. Others will seek to take advantage…and others will seek your grandson for his gifts, just as they sought Sam for his.”

“I don’t like the sound of that.”

“We must be vigilant in the coming days…Protect Daniel.”

John nodded. “I should go let Kate know everything’s okay for now.”

“Did I wake her?”

John smiled. “No, Daniel did. I think you might have wakened him though.”

John watched as Reuel faded from Jenny’s features and she sagged a little. He caught her as she stumbled. “Sorry. He’s…been unusually dominant the last few days…it’s tiring.” Jenny said before she threw her arms around John and hugged him. “I missed you.”

“Me?”

She laughed softly. “Yes you. It was nice having a father figure in my life again…even if was only for a few months.” She yawned.

“Kate got your room ready this morning. Why don’t you go get some sleep?”

John watched her go, then double checked the alarm and the sigils protecting the doors and windows. Reuel’s words made him nervous. He’d thought Daniel was safe, once they got past his six month birthday…but if what Reuel said was true…He shivered and headed back up the stairs, finding Kaitlyn tucking Daniel back into his crib.

“He misses his Daddy,” she said softly.

“They’ll be back soon…probably tomorrow.”

She nodded and sighed. “I know. I just…worry…Poor Sam, he’s been through so much…and to lose his girlfriend like that… I can’t imagine what he’s going through.”

John nodded and sighed. “We’ll see how he’s holding up when he gets back.”

“What’s coming?” She turned to him, her eyes bright and pinning him. “What should I know? Dean doesn’t tell me much, says he doesn’t want to scare me…but I’m scared already.”

John ran a hand through his hair and tried to decide how to answer her. It wasn’t his place, and he didn’t want to scare her either. “I don’t really know what to expect, Kaitlyn. Dean and Sam…they see…they know more…all I know is what is down there on that board.”

She crossed her arms and looked at him, like she was assessing whether or not he was telling the truth. After a long time, she nodded and stood on tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “Okay…but I don’t want to be in the dark.”

John stood watching Daniel sleep as she went back to bed, thinking that maybe he would rather be in the dark, than to know the things he knew.

 

It was noon when the sound of the Impala rumbled through the house. Jenny looked up from feeding Daniel and John stood, tossing off the last of his coffee and heading out to the front. Kaitlyn came bounding down the stairs, nearly knocking John over, and before he’d fully recovered, she was out the door and in Dean’s arms.

Dean laughed and hugged her before walking them both back into the house. Sam came up behind, and John stepped out onto the porch. He took in the pained expression, the bandages on his hands…”How long since you had any pain meds?” It wasn’t the most friendly greeting, but Sam’s answering grimace told John what he needed to know. “In the house, and up to the bedroom. I’ll be up in a minute.”

He was only partially surprised when Sam complied. John clapped a hand to Dean’s shoulder as he paused beside him and held out his hand. Dean smiled and deposited a bottle and a tube of ointment into his hand. “I hope you have better luck than I’ve had. He started refusing them last night…”

“He won’t refuse me.” John said. “Glad you two are back safe.”

“Go away and let me kiss my wife.”

 

John found Sam staring sullenly out the window. He dropped the med kit on the nearest bed and crossed to stand behind him. “You okay?”

Sam sighed, his face pissy and drawn. “No.” He rolled his eyes, then looked at John. “Yes. I…long drive…”

“Not what I meant.” John said. “Come sit down.” When Sam was seated on his bed, John opened the kit and pulled out a pair of scissors to start cutting the bandages from his hands. “We’ll just get fresh bandages on these, and some pills into you…and go from there, okay.”

Sam sighed, but didn’t argue. There was something going on in that head, but John was fairly certain it didn’t have to do with the poor girl who had been a big part of his life just a week before. “You gonna tell me?” He got the bandages off Sam’s left hand and lifted it to the light.

The hand was going to have scars, and he might lose the use of the little finger. Overall though, the burns were healing nicely.

“Something bad is going to happen. Soon. To Dean.” Sam looked up, then away. “Not to him…but to someone close to him.”

John nodded, working slowly at re-wrapping the hand in fresh, white gauze. “Know who?”

“No…not Jenny…and not you…” Sam winced and pulled his hand away.

“Sorry.” John pulled it back and finished before moving on to the right. “That leaves you or Kaitlyn…”

“Or Daniel.” Sam finished for him miserably. “I don’t know if Dean would survive that…”

John didn’t either. After everything his boys had been through…this whole thing was fucking unfair. “Did you see what happened?”

Sam shook his head. “Just you and Dean and a group of people gathered together on a lawn, and Reuel…and Dean, screaming…I’ve never heard a sound like that.” Sam’s face was pale.

“Does he know?”

“I think so. He hasn’t said anything.”

“Okay.” John finished taping down the last of the bandages on the right hand, a lot less bulky than he’d had originally. “You’re taking your meds and you’re going to sleep.” Sam opened his mouth to argue and John held up his hand. “No. Just do it.”

 

He didn’t leave the bedroom until Sam was asleep…and when he did it was to go into the basement to go over the board again. He had a sneaking suspicion he was missing something in the whole thing…something that could ultimately save Dean the pain Sam had seen.

“Well, we’re all in one place. How long before they show up?” Dean asked from his place at the table in front of the boards. He didn’t even look up.

“Already did.” John said, dropping his journal on the table beside Dean’s. “Last night. Reuel…said…it was hovering around.”

Dean looked up then, his green eyes startled and John raised his hands. “It didn’t get close.”

Dean shook his head. “I don’t like it. I don’t…They shouldn’t be here for this.”

Somehow John knew he meant Kaitlyn and the baby. “Where would you send them, Dean? It isn’t as if the demons can’t go elsewhere too.”

Dean sighed and buried his face in his hands. “I know.” His hands slid up over his head and grabbed the back of his neck. “I know…but…I can’t…I can’t lose them.”

“You’re not going to lose them Dean.”

Dean was quiet for a long time, so long John thought maybe he’d fallen asleep. “Yeah, Dad…I am.” He looked up. “One or both…soon…Unless we figure this thing out.”

John didn’t really know what to say to that. It was so…unwavering, so certain. He kicked his toe against the concrete floor. “So we figure it out.”

Dean nodded absently. “This about the vision?” John asked when the silence had grown long again.

“Yeah.” Dean pushed his journal away and shook his head.

“You know that you can change things…that’s why—“

“Dad, please.” Dean stood and paced. “I don’t need a lecture on why I get visions and dreams and can move things with my mind. I need to figure out how they work and make them work better.”

 

“Are you sure about this?” John asked as Dean took Daniel from Kaitlyn so that she could gather the rest of their things.

Dean shook his head. “No…but we have to go…and it’s only a few hours…”

“And I can’t stay in this house another minute.” Kaitlyn added, her eyes sparkling. “I love you, my whacky, wonderful Winchester men, but I’ve been cooped up in here for weeks because of your fears that something will happen.” She kissed John’s cheek and loaded his hands with the diaper bag and the lasagna. “Now give me my baby back and get the car started.”

Dean smiled and handed the baby back and headed out the front door. Kaitlyn followed, cooing to Daniel as John brought up the rear. Sam was on the porch, but got up to follow Dean. Kaitlyn’s little Honda was at the curb, Dean already sliding into the driver’s seat and everything slowed.

Sam’s head came up and he started yelling. Dean jumped from the car. Jenny _flew_ over him. Kaitlyn stepped onto the sidewalk, off the property, out of the protection of the wards and sigils and It was there, taller than Sam, it’s skin dark…the smell of sulfur overpowering as John dropped everything and lunged for Kaitlyn, for the baby.

He got a hand on her shirt and yanked, but it had her…it had it’s hands on her, laughing maniacally as it plucked Daniel from her arms. Car windows exploded, Kaitlyn collapsed, Reuel reached for the demon…and it was gone.

Gone.

Sam skidded to the ground beside Kaitlyn, John beside him, Reuel hovered above them. Kaitlyn was bleeding from the nose and mouth. John’s hand shook as he checked for a pulse.

Then he heard it. A howl of grief and anger that chilled him to the bone. He looked up at Sam and they both looked up at Dean, standing now, just off the sidewalk. The noise increased as the Honda’s trunk collapsed and it’s roof exploded and Dean kept on screaming as the ground beneath them rumbled.

John could feel it in his chest, feel his lungs constricting, and he knew somehow it was Dean. Sam lurched to his feet and staggered to his brother, throwing his arms around him and dragging him to his knees.

It took a minute, but Dean’s voice cracked and he sagged…and then collapsed, Sam lowering him to the grass. “He’s…” Sam’s eyes said a lot more than the tremble in his voice. “I put him out.”

John nodded, numb. “She’s alive…she’s…” He closed his eyes and tried to remember what to do, how to fix this. A demon had just stolen his grandson. In broad daylight. His daughter in law lay bleeding. Even in all his bags of tricks, John Winchester didn’t think he’d ever know how to fix that.


End file.
